Death Penalty, Gun Control & Pit Bull Bills To Get Votes

Governor O'Malley answers a question at a Senate committee hearing on his bill to repeal the death penalty. That measure is scheduled for a committee vote on Thursday. (WBAL file photo)

Senate President Mike Miller has sponsored several transportation funding measures that will be the subject of a committee hearing this week. (WBAL file photo)

The House of Delegates this week is expected to debate and vote on a bill that is designed to reverse the impact of a Maryland Court of Appeals ruling that finds pit bulls an "inherently dangerous" breed of dog, and automatically holds their owners and landlords legally responsible for any dog bite.

Floor debate is expected to begin as soon as Tuesday on a bill that increases protections for dog bite victims by creating a presumption that all dog owners should know the pet presented a danger. A dog owner who becomes a court defendant after a bite will have a chance in court to try to prove the dog was not dangerous.

The bill does not define any breed of dog as "inherently dangerous."

A final House vote could come by the end of the week.

The House of Delegates is also expected to begin debate sometime this week on Governor Martin O'Malley's offshore wind energy bill.

The measure which would build wind turbines to generate electricity off the coast of Ocean City was approved by the House Economic Matters Committee on Friday.

On Wednesday, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on a series of proposals to boost transportation funding.

All of the proposals are sponsored by Senate President Mike Miller.

Miller has proposed a menu of options. One would allow county governments to raise up to 5 cents per gallon on gas sales for local transportation projects. That would be on top of the state's 23.5-cents-per-gallon tax, which hasn't been raised since 1992.

Miller also has pitched a separate 3 percent sales tax on gasoline. He also has recommended studying the idea of selling or leasing the Intercounty Connector. Another proposal would allow local transit authorities that could raise revenue for rail projects.

Governor O'Malley says he has been meeting with Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch on a compromise transportation bill, and he is optimistic an agreement can be reached before the legislative session ends in April.

On Thursday, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is likely to vote on two bills on the governor's legislative agenda.

One measure would repeal the death penalty. That vote is expected to be close, and if the committee rejects the bill, the measure would likely go to the Senate floor with an unfavorable report, and senators would still debate it.

The committee will also vote on the governor's gun control measure, which would ban assault weapons and increase the licensing requirements for handgun owners. Those wishing to buy a handgun under the measure would have to be fingerprinted.